How Trees Increase Home Property Value in New York
Go Back To Previous PageWhen selling your home in New York, you have to weigh the pros and cons of certain repairs and services to get the highest sale price with
the lowest investment of time and money. Most homeowners turn to interior renovations like updating kitchens and bathrooms. However, many people don’t realize that tree maintenance in New York can deliver more profit for less money upfront. Below, we’ll discuss which trees in NY increase property value the most and how tree maintenance can improve your home value. We will also discuss the costs associated with tree services and which provide the most value for your investment.
Which Trees Increase NY Home Value the Most?
No matter where you live, the trees that will increase property value will always be species that can thrive in your hardiness zone. Plant hardiness zones describe which trees and plants can thrive in an area based on climatic and geologic factors, and New York ranges from 3a to 6b.
The below trees will work well in these zones. So they’ll tend to look appealing and healthy and have a better chance of increasing home value.
Weeping Cherry Tree
The weeping cherry tree is a small and manageable species, making it ideal for New York’s smaller properties and homeowners with little time to care for their trees.
This species flowers in spring and summer, adding tons of natural beauty to any property.
Red Maple
Once established, red maple trees are hardy and easy to care for, thriving throughout New York.
They can increase property value quite a bit, owing to their beautiful coloration and ease of care.
Linden Trees
Linden trees are popular in New York because they adapt well to the climate and urban environment. They add beauty to any landscape and are relatively easy to care for.
Most prospective buyers will find them very appealing.
Live Oak
Live oak thrives in many conditions, including those throughout New York. Most buyers will adore the impressive appearance of this species, and the ease of care once established helps them bolster property values.
Importance and Cost of Tree Maintenance to Increase Home Value
It’s usually not enough to have trees on your property — they must also be well-maintained to boost your home value. Sickly, dead, or potentially dangerous trees can adversely affect your home’s value.
Below are some of the most crucial types of tree maintenance you can do for your trees. These will all help improve your property’s appearance and value.
Annual Pruning
Regular pruning of your trees is crucial if you want them to add to your property’s value. Unkempt trees often have erratic growth patterns that look unappealing and messy and can be detrimental to the tree.
Branches left to grow on their own can compete with one another, and they limit the light that gets to the lower limbs. Sometimes, they leave dead or dying branches in the canopy.
Calling in an arborist to complete pruning once a year typically costs around $175 per tree. The service will make the trees more aesthetically pleasing,
promote healthy growth, and ensure no dead or dying branches pull resources away from healthier ones.
Pruning also helps protect the tree against diseases and insect infestations that can kill the tree.
Real estate experts maintain that well-manicured trees can significantly affect property value, up to about 10% in some cases.
In New York, invasive insects like the Asian longhorned beetle, the emerald ash borer, the gypsy moth, and the Hemlock wooly adelgid can infest stressed or dying trees. These insects tend to feed on sapwood or leaves.
They gradually deprive the tree of its resources and kill it for weeks or months.
Arborists can apply pest treatments to your trees to help protect them from these invasive species. Tree-safe pesticides can be sprayed on the bark, limbs, or leaves, placed in the soil, or injected into the trunk. Most pesticide treatments cost around $100 every three to four months.
Pest treatments might seem expensive, but they can positively affect your property value in the long run. Infested trees often look unappealing and can detract significantly from your home’s curb appeal.
If prospective buyers are educated on the invasive species in New York, they may identify an infestation and know that the tree is in danger of dying and falling. Some buyers may not wish to deal with the expense or headache of the resulting tree removal.
Disease Treatments
Finally, New York trees are prone to various tree diseases, including oak wilt, beech leaf disease, root rot, anthracnose, and verticillium wilt.
These diseases all have severe effects on tree species native to New York. Many can kill a tree shortly after an infection, leaving it to look wilted, sickly, or dead.
Most arborists in New York can apply fungicides or implement tree injections to keep your trees safe for around $75 every few months. Depending on the diseases prevalent in your area, you may only need one or two treatments per year.
Treatments for disease will help keep your trees alive and visually appealing. You can also relay your efforts to maintain your trees’ health to buyers. This will instill confidence in them that you genuinely care for the well-being of your home. Also, they will be more likely to think you maintain the rest of your home just as well.
Wrapping Up: How Trees Increase Property Value
Certain tree species in New York are well-known for boosting property value. However, all well-maintained trees will add to the natural beauty of your home.
Paying annual pruning and protection services for pests and diseases may seem unnecessary. However, these relatively small investments will help maintain the curb appeal of your home and will instill confidence in buyers that your home is well cared for and maintained. Most buyers will be willing to pay more for a home they feel comfortable purchasing.
Georges has been working in Wall Street for the last 16 years trading derivatives with hedge funds. He has been an active real estate investor for over a decade. Georges graduated from HEC Business School in Paris and holds a master in Finance from ESADE Barcelona.
